Grocery stores in Dubai will soon have to comply with new rules intended to create a “uniform identity” for such businesses, the Department of Economic Development (DED) announced on Saturday.
In a statement on its website, the DED said it was introducing new standards for licensed groceries in the emirate, aimed at making them look consistent with other such stores on the inside and outside.
Department officials have met with around 140 grocery store owners in Dubai and informed them of the new standards, which will be effective from the second half of 2016, the DLD said.
New stores applying for a licence must comply with the requirements straight away, while already operating stores will have two years – until the second half of 2018 – to ensure full compliance.
According to the DLD, the department has stipulated certain criteria that grocery stores must meet to achieve “unification of logo and business identity”, related to colour scheme, signage, exterior finish, interior (including fixtures and display units), storage area size, as well as type of fittings and lighting.
Operational requirements, meanwhile, include meeting standards regarding the design of the store, product display and classification, training, storage, health and personal hygiene, smoking and prohibition of pets in compliance with Dubai Municipality’s Health & General Safety Department.
Grocery stores can start implementing the new standards from today onwards, and the DLD said it would help facilitate closure of stores that wish to start making changes.
It is unclear whether the uniform logo and colour scheme would apply to all grocery stores in Dubai under the new rules, or to all grocery stores owned by the same private business. The DLD has been contacted for further information.
There were an estimated 2,800 groceries in Dubai in 2015, the DLD said, and that number is growing. The DLD said the new standards are part of efforts to improve the quality of retail services available to the public in Dubai, “to reinforce the emirate’s position as a preferred shopping destination regionally and internationally”.
It is understood future efforts by the DLD will see such uniform standards being extended to other important sectors.
Omar Bushahab, CEO of the Business Registration & Licensing (BRL) sector in DED “Through these new standards, DED is seeking to make a quantum leap in Dubai’s renowned shopping experience, and also enabling groceries to reflect the growth attained by the city in terms of infrastructure and service quality.
“The new concept stems from the emirate’s policy of enhancing competitiveness within various business sectors, and meeting the needs of the local community as well as visitors.”
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